On the good news side, the article recommends that companies take an active role in developing their online relationships, particularly potential business relationships. Companies can do this, says the article, by reaching out to people through social media channels such as Twitter. They can also develop relationships through positively sharing the content of potential partners and for thanking others online that draw attention to the company's own content. If done correctly, says the article, these online relationships can develop into real world meetings.

On the bad news side, the article advises companies to closely monitor their online reputations in order to quickly and effectively deal with any negative content that may arise surrounding the company's brand.

"No company or business, however aboveboard and professional they may be, is entirely free from negative press," explains Online Reputation Management Consultant Brian Newmark. "There will almost always be dissatisfied customers, disgruntled employees, or aggressive competition. Failing to notice or reply to their press, however, only amplifies their voice against the brand in question and can cause serious damage to that brand's profits or customer base if left unchecked."

To prevent this negative attention from getting out of hand or going unchallenged, the article recommends that companies take advantage of keyword tracking tools, either free or otherwise. These tools, says the article, allow companies to quickly and easily find areas online where their brand is being discussed and then either enter those discussions or reply to them through their own channels.

For larger companies, the article recommends that all company employees who deal with the company brand, including its executives, regularly touch base with one another and keep up healthy communications. Everything said about the company with the potential to damage it needs to be reported, analyzed, and then acted upon, the article insists. This includes what the competitors of that company are doing and saying about it.

The article also strongly recommends that this monitoring process be cohesive and comprehensive. This means having written guidelines to share amongst necessary employees and executives as well as agreeing upon certain goals such as response times and keyword targets.

"Active monitoring of a company's reputation also helps that company keep track with what its audience is or isn't interested in," says Online Reputation Management Consultant Brian Newmark, "which can also have the added bonus of helping said company from a marketing and sales perspective."

ABOUT:

Brian Newmark is a 21st century entrepreneur with a wide variety of skills in marketing, finance, and sales. His main area of expertise, however, is in helping companies from almost any industry improve their revenue and their future prospects through strategic online reputation management. With Newmark's Online Reputation Management Consultation, companies can better recover from destructive and/or false claims against their business. Through his work, many businesses have maintained a positive presence across the internet and reached out to new audiences to become more successful in their chosen field.